Clive Palmer as PM?

This is how
Clive Palmer
could soon be PM. A year ago, on these pages, I said: “The polls have
Tony Abbott
’s Coalition in the front of the Gillard government, but they are hardly a measure of voter sentiment about Coalition policies, as there hasn’t been much policy detail released. When it comes to the crunch, will voters purchase a ticket and board the train?"

The argument still applies, courtesy of confusion about where Abbott intends to take us, and his continued Freudian slips providing reasons not to vote for him. As we aren’t going to sign up to a deal unless it’s a good deal – and how can we be sure it’s a good deal until we see the detail – the election may produce another hung Parliament. Palmer, who will be in the box seat, says he’ll side with whoever makes him PM. Abbott would refuse, of course, but Palmer stands rock solid in a Mexican stand-off.